


Anger Management (Like Glass To A Brick Wall)

by goddess_julie



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2018-01-01 08:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1042643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur has a lot of pent up anger and frustration, so much that it is unhealthy.  Merlin takes Arthur out to let out a bit of steam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anger Management (Like Glass To A Brick Wall)

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as my Day 12 fic for Mini Nanowrimo on LJ. I'm doing 30 fics in 30 days in different fandoms.
> 
> I came home today in the worst mood ever. Cussing like a mofo, angry at so many things and just feeling like I wanted to scream. I sat down, put some angry rap on my Songza and then THIS resulted.

The walls were closing in on him and getting tighter with each breath that he seemed to take. Arthur looked at the ‘inspirational’ posters that his father had framed and put on his walls, as though to remind him his destiny and how much was riding on him. There were expectations that no twenty four year old should ever have to deal with, let alone the fact that they were the same expectations he’d had repeated to him on a weekly, if not daily basis since he was eleven and even began to show any signs of him having his own opinions.

It didn’t matter that he lived in his own house, it had been bought and paid for by Uther Pendragon, because if Arthur was going to be the successful business tycoon that he was born and bred to be, he couldn’t live in some shabby flat with roommates. Uther had bought, paid for and decorated the house to his tastes and approval expecting Arthur to be nothing but grateful. Arthur hated it with every fibre of his being and every morning, afternoon and night when he was faced with the confines of his father’s oppression he felt the rage grow until some days he wasn’t sure how he was going to take another day under Uther’s thumb. 

The sound of a ringing cell phone permeated the otherwise silent room, some pop music that made Arthur laugh despite the overwhelming depression that was filtering into every moment of his day, every inch of his body.

“I’ll be by in twenty to pick you up,” a voice said before Arthur could even manage a hello.

“Merlin, what are you talking about? I thought you had class tonight?” Arthur sighed. He leaned back into the couch and covered his eyes with his arm. He hoped that he could at least fight off the tears until he got off of the phone. The last thing he needed after an already wretched week was to cry in front of his best friend.

“First off, fuck my class. Second I called in a few favours and I’m taking you somewhere.”

“How?” Arthur barked out a laugh. “You going to fit me on the handlebars of your bike?”

“Go fuck yourself Pendragon,” Merlin swore. Arthur heard him apologize to someone on his end of the line for his language, causing Arthur to give his first genuine laugh of the day. Perhaps of the week. “Now you can double eff yourself Pendragon for getting me in trouble with some little old lady. Be ready in twenty minutes. Or else.”

Merlin didn’t let Arthur ask “or else what” before hanging up the phone. Arthur reveled in the excitement pooling in his stomach. His plan for the night had been to heat up some dinner before doing paperwork before heading to bed so he could wake up tomorrow and continue living his pathetically depressing life.

Fifteen minutes later Arthur heard Merlin let himself in the front door. “Lets go Prince Prat,” Merlin bellowed from the front foyer.

“Why are you ditching class tonight?” Arthur asked. He was pleased that Merlin had dropped everything for him but knew how dedicated to this class his friend was.

“They won’t even know I’m not there,” Merlin shrugged. His plush lips curled into an impish smirk and his blue eyes were twinkling. 

Arthur offered a genuine laugh, his shoulders and heart already feeling lighter with Merlin’s presence. He’d changed into a pair of jeans, a tee shirt and a hoodie, pleased to see Merlin in similar attire. “Uh Merlin,” Arthur drawled. “YOU’RE the teacher!”

Again, Merlin shrugged and flipped Arthur off. “Fuck that. Gwaine can cover for a night. It’s art. We’re doing sculpting this term and I think they like him better than me anyways.” Merlin approached Arthur and wrapped him into a tight embrace. He cupped Arthur’s face and stroked his cheek gently, taking a deep look into Arthur’s eyes. “Are you okay? Really?”

With those four words Arthur felt his stomach drop and his muscles tense. Panic arose in his chest before he took a deep breath and let it out staring Merlin down intently. He only shook his head. 

“Fucking Uther,” Merlin whispered angrily before leaning and kissing Arthur softly. “Fuck him and fuck this and fuck you being so fucking fucked that you just...” Arthur couldn’t help but laugh against Merlin’s jaw as he swore.

“It shouldn’t be so hot listening to you curse,” Arthur admitted.

“Just wait til I get started,” Merlin promised with a gentle kiss and a squeeze of Arthur’s hand. “Now come on. I know you’re tense and …”

“How DO you know Merlin?” Arthur asked. He hadn’t talked to the other man in a few days. Their schedules had not matched up and when Arthur fell into his deeper depressions, he tended to go on radio silence, ignoring everyone and anyone.

“Gwen,” Merlin admitted, unashamed. “You don’t call, you don’t answer your messages so I have to get sneaky. I called her to find out and she told me. Everything.” Merlin pulled Arthur through the door, grabbing the blonde’s keys from his hand and locking the door behind him. “Now, I’ve lifted Will’s car and it’s ours for the night. I pulled a few favours and we’re going somewhere.”

The drive to wherever Merlin was taking him was filled with Arthur’s work phone ringing constantly. Although Arthur wouldn’t admit it, they both knew it was Uther and with each phone call, any progress Merlin had made in relaxing Arthur had been for naught. Instead of arguing, which was what he normally would have done, Merlin kept silent and watched his best friend, his soul mate, get more and more worked up. He saw the stress in his shoulders, the anxiety on his face and the way he sat as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

If Merlin was a murdering man, Uther Pendragon would have been his one and only target. 

Much to Arthur’s surprise, they pulled up to an old warehouse. Merlin put the car in park and got out, waiting for Arthur to follow. 

When he didn’t Merlin smacked the hood of the car lightly. “Let’s go Pendragon.”

“What ARE we doing here?” Arthur asked in confusion. He got out and followed Merlin who lead him into the warehouse, surprised when it was old and looked as though it was on the slate for destruction.

“It is,” Merlin answered when Arthur voiced his thoughts. “It’s up for demolition next week.”

“Then WHY are we here?” 

Merlin led Arthur to a far wall where there were about nearly two dozen large bins laying scattered on the ground. Along a far wall was a giant metal bin, looking similarly to a garbage or recycling facility. Before Arthur could continue to question and complain about what they were doing there, Merlin pulled him close and kissed him passionately. Hungry. Desperately.

“I am so fucking worried about you Arthur Pendragon,” Merlin said with honesty as he pulled away from the kiss. “Every single day I worry about you. When I wake up. When I go about my life. When I get your voice mail. When you don’t respond. When I go to bed. Even when we are together I worry about you and…” Merlin held up his hand, motioning for Arthur to keep quiet and let him talk.

“And if you think I’m the only one, you are sorely mistaken. Even Will worries about you, and he can’t stand you all that much.”

Arthur couldn’t help laugh at that. He felt uncomfortable and embarrassed, but didn’t know what to say to Merlin’s declaration.

“This used to be an old recycling warehouse. They’ll be clearing out the last of the bins over the next few days.”

“How do you even know this?” Arthur asked quietly.

“You’ll see,” Merlin promised with a smile. “You bottle things up Arthur, you hold them in and are under this insane notion that you can’t let it out. That you just have to bottle it up and deal with it, but it’s not healthy. So we’re here to let off some steam.” Merlin walked over to one of the bins and opened it to reveal it was filled to capacity with bottles, glasses, dishware.”

Arthur watched in fascination when Merlin picked up a bottle, probably from the looks of it had been a bottle of tomato sauce that had been rinsed and sanitized. Before he could think any further, Merlin gripped the bottle tight and launched it against the wall, the fragments falling perfectly into the bin underneath the spot he’d hit high on the wall.

With a jump Arthur shouted “what the fuck Merlin?”

“Do it Arthur, you grab one and throw it as hard as you can against the wall.”

Arthur shook his head, his heart racing.

With a shrug, Merlin reached and grabbed another piece of glassware, throwing that too against the wall while watching it shatter.

“It’s great for stress relief,” Merlin admitted. “All the anger, all the rage just explodes, like the glass.”

“What?”

“They melt the glass down to recycle it. Whether it’s whole or in pieces, it doesn’t matter.” Merlin grabbed another piece out of the bin and handed it to Arthur, closing his fist around the glass. “Just try it.”

“Merlin,” Arthur warned, his voice tight and his body rigid.

“Please, for me. Just do it.”

Merlin stepped away, leaving Arthur in place. Arthur gripped the bottle tightly, feeling all of the anger of the day fill him. Every back handed compliment his father paid him. Every insinuation that he wasn’t enough. Every new expectation that was placed on him, all of these thoughts filled his mind and pressed against his chest. Before he could register moving, Arthur had pulled his arm back and threw the glass against the far wall with every single ounce of strength he had in him.

There was a feeling of satisfaction as the glass hit the wall, the pieces smashing instantly. The sound was loud, the echo bouncing off of the walls and with that one throw, that one movement the flood gates opened.

Merlin stepped back, letting Arthur step up to the bin and grab bottle after bottle, piece after piece until finally Arthur had emptied three of the bins in front of him. His breath was coming short, sweat covered his brow and Arthur was cursing to himself, growling out every single word he bit his tongue from saying daily. Deep in the recess of his mind, Arthur knew Merlin was still there, but nothing outside of the feel of his arm pulling back, the release of the glass and the loud crack of it shattering against the wall and falling into the recycling bin mattered.

Finally with tears in his eyes Arthur stopped to take a breath.

“Feels good doesn’t it?” Merlin asked softly, stepping to Arthur’s side.

“What does?”

“Letting it out.”

“I’m just so fucking angry,” Arthur spat. He grabbed a few more glasses, throwing them with strength he found deep inside of him. “At him for never thinking I’m good enough. At me for caring. It’s never going to stop,” Arthur admitted, each statement punctuated with another piece of glassware breaking. “And I’m never going to be enough for him, but still… I fucking do it. I am so miserable, so fucking angry and miserable and I hate my life.”

“I know you do Arthur.”

“You’re the only good thing in my life,” Arthur said sadly, looking at Merlin. He looked lost, so young yet so old and weary at the same time. It broke Merlin’s heart. “And one day you’re going to realize I’m too much work and leave me.”

“Never,” Merlin was firm, his eyes nearly flashing with emotion. “Don’t even talk like that, it’s never going to happen.”

“But,” Arthur sagged against Merlin, his head falling to Merlin’s shoulder.

Merlin lifted Arthur’s face and kissed his lips softly. “Never,” he whispered fiercely. “Promise me you know that.”

Arthur didn’t respond and Merlin cupped his boyfriend’s face firmly, holding him a breath away. 

“Arthur!” He warned.

“I promise,” Arthur whispered softly, leaning into Merlin’s embrace.

Merlin stepped away wordlessly. He walked over to a bin and opened it, grabbing a few glass bottles of his own. He launched one furiously, surprising Arthur with it’s intensity.

“That’s how I feel about your father.” Merlin growled. He launched another bottle. “That’s what I want to do to him for how he treats you.” Another one was launched. “And that’s for how he talks to you.” 

Another one went flying. “And how he makes you feel about yourself.” Another followed. “For not realizing how special you are.” Another. “For how fucking amazing you are.” Another. “How smart.” And finally one more. “How without you, he’s nothing.”

Arthur’s laughter echoed, startling Merlin so much he too began to laugh. Without speaking, they each grabbed a bin of bottles and began launching them in tandem, as though the finale of a fireworks show. Bottles were flying, glass shattering everywhere and the sounds of it crashing against the wall and into the bin echoing in the large warehouse.

Both men were gasping for breath due to exertion and laughter when they stopped.

“We always miss the good stuff,” a female voice called behind them, startling both men. They turned around to see Arthur’s half sister Morgana walking through the spacious building, her high heels echoing off of the concrete. “I tried calling but you probably couldn’t hear it over the glass breaking.”

Arthur nodded at his sister, allowing a wave to the man that was following her across the room. Leon, his sister’s husband and one of Arthur’s closest friends was smiling warmly at them, not at all seeming surprised at them being there. For a moment, Arthur wondered why they were there and how to know to find him and Merlin here. Before he could voice his question, Arthur’s work phone rang, signalling Uther’s ringtone. Without a second thought Arthur pulled the phone from his pocket and launched it across the room, crashing it against the wall and into the glass bin.

Merlin and Morgana raised an eyebrow at each other while Leon simply laughed.

“It’s about time mate,” Leon clapped Arthur affectionately on the shoulder. Arthur let out a long, deep exhale and felt better than he had in longer than he could remember. With four lengthy strides, he approached Merlin, kissing him passionately. Their tongues made chase, back and forth between their mouths until the sound of Morgana clearing her throat interrupted.

“Boys. Please.”

“Yes, please…” Merlin whimpered as Arthur pulled away. “More. Please.” 

“Merlin Emrys, you had your time with him. Now it’s ours.”

With an exaggerated pout, Merlin pulled away. “I wasn’t done with my time though,” he sighed. In a brash show of bravery, Merlin leaned in and kissed Arthur again, squeezing his ass sharply before yelping and moving away. “Okay, I’m done.”

It was Arthur’s time to pout. “I’m not!”

“Boys. Please. Give me just ten minutes of your time and then you can do whatever it is you do when no one is around and I don’t have to see or hear it.” 

Merlin grinned as Arthur winked at him. 

“Fine Morgana, what is it that you need me for?”

With practiced ease, Morgana pulled a file from the bag over her shoulder. She said nothing, made no other movement other than to hand it to him and wait.

Arthur looked at the folder in front of him before looking first at his boyfriend to his sister and her husband. “What is this?”

“Just open it,” Morgana said, no emotion on her face.

The first thing that caught Arthur’s attention upon opening the folder was a symbol that he hadn’t seen in years. Probably almost a decade. It was a crest, a professional duplicate of a crest that he was very familiar with. One he had helped design, when he and Morgana were young and had hopes and dreams. There had been a period where Arthur and Morgana had talked about going into business together, starting their own company and taking over the corporate world together. 

Uther swore that Arthur was destined to run Pendragon Corporation and Morgana had always been too head strong for Uther to take a chance on her.

“Camelot Publishing?” Arthur whispered. His mother had always wanted to run a publishing house. Uther deemed it a waste of time, money and effort. She’d died before being able to bring her dreams to light. Morgana had very few and vague memories of Arthur’s mother. She’d only been five when Arthur had been born and Ygraine had died in childbirth. Ygraine wasn’t her biological mother, but she was the closest Morgana had come to one and she grieved her as much as Arthur had once he was old enough to know what he’d lost.

“Keep looking,” Leon spoke in hushed tones.

CEO – Morgana Pendragon-Knight  
CEO – Arthur Pendragon

Vice CEO – Leon Knight

Right Hand Man and All Around Awesomeness – Merlin Emrys

Arthur looked up at Merlin and laughed as he rolled his eyes. “Are you serious? Merlin?”

“Hey, we hadn’t come up with a contract yet or decision beyond what you see,” Merlin grinned.

Morgana stepped forward, putting her hand on her brother’s arm. “We didn’t want to make any more decisions than we already have without your input.” Her eyes were kind, her mouth curled into an affectionate smile. “This is you, me and Leon. What we’ve talked about forever. We each have equal stake in this. We can do this without you Arthur, but we don’t want to.”

“We won’t,” Leon stressed. “Keep looking,” he motioned towards the papers under the initial ‘contract’. It was the deed to the land they were currently standing on. It had Morgana and Leon’s signatures on it, only needing Arthur’s. 

“Mithian is here, waiting in her car and doing some other paperwork for us. If you’re ready, if you want to do this with us, she’s here to witness signing the deed, and it’s ours. This is Camelot Publishing. If you’re willing.”

Arthur expected to feel an overwhelming anxiousness at Morgana and Leon’s pitch. They were in essence, asking him to forego everything he’d known, everything his father had worked for and leap into a new venture. His gaze moved from each of the people who meant the world to him. The most surprising part of the whole night was how there was nothing to even think about. He uncapped the pen that was attached to the folder and went to sign it.

“Jesus Arthur,” Morgana screeched, halting his movement. “What part of Mithian needs to witness it was confusing to you?” She stormed over and grabbed the folder from his hand and slapped him with it. Before he could defend himself Arthur was engulfed in her warm embrace. 

“I’m proud of you Arthur.”

“I’m scared shitless,” he admitted into her hair.

“Are you sure though?” As much as they had fought, Morgana had always looked out for him, took care of him. Arthur nodded.

“Not a question.”

Morgana turned to Merlin and gave him a stern look. “Once he realizes what he’s done and he has to face Uther, you’d better be there to pick up the pieces and remind him of what he’s signed up for.”

Merlin gave a nod. “Right hand man. All around awesomeness. Got it.”

All four looked back and forth from one another. 

“I really thought it would take more than this,” Morgana admitted. She slipped her hand into Arthur’s and led him through the building to where their real estate agent was waiting for them. 

Arthur took a deep breath and gave a weak smile. “It’s time.”

“Long past time,” Merlin called from where he and Leon were following.

“Agreed,” Arthur and Morgana said together. 

“But still, we have a whole proposal for you. Once you’ve signed our pre-contract contract and signed the deed, we want you to go home with it and just think it over. I’ve phoned Uther and told him that you’ll be out of the office for the rest of the week.”

Arthur’s face was a mask of surprise. “What did he say?”

“How should I know,” Morgana laughed. She waved at Mithian who exited her car and grinned at them, hugging Arthur affectionately. “I told him I needed you, that you were going to be out of the office for at least the next few days and hung up. Haven’t you answered any of his calls tonight?”

As Merlin laughed, Arthur gave a sheepish shrug. “I answered the first one and didn’t really hear much of what he was saying over his bellowing. After that I just stopped answering.”

“Oh he must be having a coronary,” Morgana was so gleeful she was practically beaming. “This is wonderful.”

Within seconds, the deed had been signed and Mithian bid her goodbyes with promises to be in touch soon. Morgana pulled out the champagne from the boot of her car and poured them all a glass.

“To Camelot Publishing,” she toasted.

“To Ygraine Du Bois,” Merlin added.

“To old friends, new ventures and much success,” Leon agreed.

“To us,” Arthur raised his glass and toasted.

FINIS


End file.
